Starch tray



June 15, 1948. BUTLER I 2,443,341

STARCH TRAY .Filed March 2, 1945 Patented June 15, 1948 2,443,341 s'mnon TRAY Burton B. Butler, Oak Park, Ill., asslgnor to C. M.

Drinkwater & Company, Chicago, 111., a partnership Application March 2, 1945, Serial No. 580,613

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a tray, and more particularly to a starch tray employed in the preparation of confections suchas candy bars.

In the manufacture of candy bars and the like, it is the usual practice to provide a suitable depth of powdered .corn starch in a tray which is .carried by a conveyor. The tray is brought on the conveyor under suitable dies which are pressed into the corn starch to form mold depressions therein ofithe desired shape. The depressions are then filled with the desired confectionary materials in a soft state, which are then hardened. The trays are stacked one upon another before being placed on the conveyor, and also after being removed from the conveyor with the hardening confections therein, so as to conserve space.

It is desirable that such trays be light in weight yet sturdy, and that they be so constructed as to permit circulation of air therebetween when stacked. It is also desirable that such trays be of a construction preventing the sifting of corn starch or'similar finely powdered material into or t'hrough the joints between the parts of the tray. The tray should also be of substantially rigid'material, and the parts so joined together as to retain the tightness thereof and avoid the development of any play between the parts even after prolonged use.

v The trays employed prior to this invention did not fulfill these requirements. The need for repair or replacement was very frequent, and the trays were not proof against sifting of the corn starch or similar material through the joints. These trays were ordinarily fastened together by means of nails, which did not provide sufliciently rigid and tight joints, and readily allowed development of looseness and play between the parts of the tray. Furthermore, the construction was such that the bottom of the tray was afforded no support during the formation of the mold depressions, with the result that the pressure of the dies frequently caused breaking or cracking of the tray bottom. Y

The tray ofthis invention is constructed to embody all of the desirable features pointed out above, and to avoid the disadvantages of prior constructions.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tray with the joints 'between the parts proof constructed for support thereof to prevent .break age during application of pressure to the upper surface thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a starch tray or the like having a wedging connection of the bottom with the side walls to afford a tight joint and a rigid construction.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a tray construction in which the corner joints are made tight and rigid by a minimum of fastening elements by virtue of mutually interfitting portions on the tray walls.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a tray of the type described in which the inner surfaces of the walls slope toward the tray bottom to afford ease in emptying and cleaning the tray.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a tray having foot portions to permit spacing of a plurality of trays when stacked, as well as to permit ready grasping of the tray.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a tray of the type described in which the parts are soconnected as to avoid development of looseness and play between the parts in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray the parts of which may easily and quickly be assembled or disassembled.

The invention also has as an object the provision of a tray which is light, sturdy, and convenient to'handle.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the,following description and the appended drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the tray ofthis invention;

Figure '2 is a side elevational view of two of the trays in stacked relation; 7

Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the tray;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 1, with a part omitted.

As shown in the drawings, the tray is rectangular in shape and is formed with a bottom It], side walls I I, and end walls l2. Each of the end walls I2 has a foot portion is at each end thereof extendin below the level of the bottom in and the bottom edges of the side walls I I. The tray may thus readily be grasped between the foot portions either at the ends .or sides either when restingv on a surface or when in a stack with other trays.

Also, as will readily be evident from Figure 2, trays of this kind when stacked are in vertically spaced relation to each other, so that circulation of air therebetween is readily possible.

As clearly shown in Figure 4, the lower surface of the bottom ill lies slightly below the bottom edges of the side walls H. The tray is placed on a conveyor with the side walls crosswiseof the conveyor and with the bottom"!!! resting on the conveyor and the feet [3 off the conveyor, the bottom edges of the side walls H being spaced slightly above the conveyor. When a tray is positioned beneath dies or the like for the formation of mold depressions in material such as corn starch carried by the tray, the bottom "it,

resting directly on the conveyor, is supported thereby against the pressure of thedies and nating sharp corners from which it might be difficult to remove residual material.

The side walls II and end walls l2 are conheated by mortise and tenon joints. At each end transmits the pressure to the conveyor. trays of this type as previously constructed, the bottom did not rest directly on the conveyor but wass'pa'ced thereaboVeL" The-bottom was often split, cracked, or completel brokenhpon application of the die 'pr'essure; since it was unsupported except'aboutits edges, and a large proportion'of trays had to be replaced for this reason.

With the present construction, substantially the entire surface of the bottom M is supported by tl ie'c'onveyor; and therefore will withstand any thing short of crushing pressure.

The end walls 12 or the tray b'ear the'gr'e'a'test better balance to the tray than would be the case'lfall the walls were of th'e'sam'e dimensions throughout.

' Each of the walls 1 l and i2 is enlarged inwardly adjacent the bottom it], as indicated at i i." The portion is is shown in the drawings as curved, butit will be obvious that the enlarged portion l4 might be defined by an inner surface of the wall of a shape other than that shown. Each of each side wall "H, adjacent the bottom edge thereof, a tenon 11 is formed, with a portion of the groove-defining part of the bottom of the "walls-being removed for a short distance from the end of the walls. The cross-sectional shape of th tenon I! is clearly shown in Figure 3. In

of the walls H and l2 has a roove l5 formed in the enlarged portion is to accommodate an edge of the bottom H5. Preferably the groove is of the general shape shown in Figure '4 of the drawings, with the upper wall i511 or the groove horizontal and the lower wall ilablying at an angle. Each edge of the bottom i lli'of thetray is bevele'd'on" the undersidethereof, as indicated at It in Figure 4i. The walls and bottom "of the tray are assembled by'inserting the beveled'edges of the bottom it in the grooves l5 of the walls I l and 52, so that the bottom H1 is wedged in the walls I! and i2. v

The construction of the joint between the bottom and the walls which just been described has'several 'gdvantages. The'upper surface :of the bottom ltl is held tightly agains't the upper horizontal wall lfia of the groove. The harder the edge is forced into the groove, the tighter is the joint formed. The wedging connection of the'edges' of the bottom ID in the walls of the tray insures a tight joint which prevents the passage of finely powdered material therethrough, holds the Walls and bottom'in substantially rigid relation; and avoids the use or nails, screws, or similar fastening elements whichmight weaken the material of thtray; The-"enlarged portions each end of each end wall 12 there is formed a mortise '18 shaped to corre'spond'to the' 'crosssection "of the t'enon H, as will be cleahf'ro'm Figure 3. A screw 1 9is driven'through thet'enon i=1 into the end wall 12 to secure theparts together.

rigid aindstrong connection or the parts is provided at each corner by the 'iriterengag'ement of the'mortise and tenon; with theseveral'fab'uttingsurfa'ces thereof'holding the'pa'rts against relative movement "in any direction. A single screw in each joint'is 'sufficientto hold theparts securely together. Any'tendency of the leverage afiorded by the walls to overcome the" tightness of the connection is prevented by thejengagement ofthe bottom H] with the'walls. The wedging connection of the walls and bottom holds these parts rigidl perpendicul'ar to each other, and furthermore in effect provides "with the screws IS a spaced two-point secureinent o'f'each wall at each corner to prevent the loosening'which might develop by repeated application of pressure at one side or the other'of'a' single point of securement. A tight and rigid joint is thus' foimed at each corner which is maintained even after prolonged use; The construction permits the use of'a minimuninumber of "fasteningelements, such as the screws 9, one at each corner. The use of a plurality of screws or the like at each corner is avoided, together with the consequent weakening of the material. Furthermorefas' will be obvious, the use of only four screws or similar fastening elements permits easy and rapid assembly of the tray.

Theengag'ement of the bottom "l0 'witlreach wall-l l and [2 at each corner'is'suc'h as to make a'tight joint despite the diiliculti'es occasioned by the'junction of'three parts. This tightness is obtained by terminating the lower wall [5b of groove H5 in the side wall "I l short of the end of the sidewall, so that the end of the will lfi'li'abuts the edge of the corresponding lower wall 5b of the end wall 12. The upper wall 85a of the side wall H extends to the end of the sidewall, as part of the tenon IT. On the other'hand, the lower wall 552) of the end wall IZeX'terFds'to the end of the wall I?! as defined by the mortise 18, to abut the tenon ll of the side wall H, and the upper wall 55a oi the end wall, Whil also extending .to the mortise, does not extend as far as the lower wall because of the shape of the mortise toaccommodate the tenon l'l. In 'other wordsythe upper wall 15a of thegroove in the endwall l2 abuts the edge of the upper wall I50. oftl 'jeside wall groove. 'Ihus, th e grooves l5.

- or the side and end wens intersect at th corner joints to provide a corner recess, with the lower wall of the groove recess formed by the extension of the lower groove wall of the side wall ii, and the upper wall of the recess formed by the extension of the upper grooved wall of the end wall 12. The corner of the bottom iii extends into the corner groove recess so formed, and is tightly held against the upper wall thereof by the wedging action of the bevels l6 along each edge of the bottom. The corner angle formed by the junction of the bevels extends between the junction of the groove walls Ma. The corner groove construction is best illustrated in Figure 5, in which the bottom It is omitted for greater clearness.

The invention contemplates the use of wood the material of which the tray is made, since it permits a rigid construction, does not become deformed in use, and is readily worked. It will be obvious, however, that other materials having suitable properties may be employed instead of wood. Similarly, other fastening means than the screws l9 might be employed, such as glue, nails, or the like, but the screws are preferred because they permit simple and ready disassembly of the tray as well as the simple and secure initial assembly thereof.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A starch tray for molding candy comprising a rectangular bottom plate having all margins thereof beveled only on the bottom, side walls and end walls each comprising a solid unit and having respective longitudinal grooves in their lower portions generally complementary to said beveled margins but deeper so that the margins are drawn tightly therein and extending short of the respective bottoms of the grooves and the upper sides of the bottom plate margins make starch-tight contact with the upper sides of the grooves, the upper portion of each wall presenting a smooth substantially vertical inner surface, each wall having an inclined surface immediately above the bottom plate smoothly merging with said inner surface and said inclined surface blending into a substantially vertical lower surface to thus thicken the lower portion of each wall and enable said groove to be deeper than otherwise would be possible and to afiord a filleted molding cavity for said tray to facilitate emptying said tray.

BURTON B. BUTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 501,088 Leaver July 11, 1893 1,169,602 Bausman Jan. 25, 1916 1,475,573 George Nov. 27, 1923 1,656,685 Thompson Jan. 17, 1928 1,947,055 Moorman Feb. 13, 1934 2,102,437 Richardson et a1. Dec. 14, 1937 2,343,936 Showers Mar. 14, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 47,295 Denmark May 1933 

